Connecticut · Permit testWho can sit beside you
The person teaching you sits in the front passenger seat, alert and ready to take over. It's a driving school or high school instructor, or a qualified trainer: someone at least 20 who has held a license for four years with no suspension. Adults on an adult learner's permit follow the same trainer rule.
What are the Connecticut learner's permit rules at 16 and 17?
- No passengers except your parent, legal guardian or qualified trainer, for as long as you hold the permit. During a lesson with a driving school instructor, the instructor's group can ride along.
- No cell phone or other mobile device while driving, not even hands-free.
- Everyone in the car wears a seat belt, and you can't carry more passengers than there are belts.
- No public service, commercial or vanpool vehicles.
- Carry your permit whenever you drive.
Teen driving laws after the permit
| Rule | Applies |
|---|---|
| Passengers: only an instructor, your parents or guardians (one licensed), or one qualified adult | First 6 months of the license |
| Immediate family may also ride | Months 7 to 12 |
| No driving from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., except for work, school, religious activities, medical need or Safe Ride | Until 18 |
| No phone at all, even hands-free | Until 18 |
Volunteer firefighters and ambulance or emergency medical members answering a call are exempt from the passenger and curfew rules.
What breaking the rules costs
| Violation, under 18 | 1st offense | 2nd offense |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger, curfew or other GDL rule | 30-day suspension | 6 months, or until 18 if longer |
| Phone or texting | 30-day suspension | 90-day suspension |
| Speeding 20 mph or more over the limit | 60-day suspension | 90-day suspension |
Each suspension also carries a $175 restoration fee plus court fines, per the 2023 manual.
How long the permit lasts, and renewing a learner's permit in CT
The permit is valid until you get your license or for two years from the day it's issued, whichever comes first. The DMV's permit pages don't describe a renewal for a car learner's permit, so if yours is running out, ask the DMV's contact center (860-263-5700, or 800-842-8222 within Connecticut) before it expires. A lost or damaged permit is a different thing: you replace it online, by mail or in person for $19.
The motorcycle permit works differently. It lasts 60 days and can be renewed once in the same calendar year.
Sources: CT DMV · Connecticut Driver's Manual and 3 more. Checked October 2026.
- CT DMV: Driving restrictions for teens ↗
- CT DMV: Get a learner's permit ↗
- CT DMV: Adult learner's permit ↗
- CT DMV: Replace a learner's permit ↗
- Connecticut Driver's Manual, revised March 2023 (PDF) ↗
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.